Orphans Beloved: Future Ops
by regertz
Summary: Shorties like my "Immortal Beloved..." May become longer... Helena has an encounter with old friends in a possible future.


Orphans Beloved: "Future Opps…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…

Toronto Metro PD HQ 2025…

Office of Detectives…

Desk of Helena Bell…

"This is a ludicrous joke…" fuming voice from metal side chair, grim stare at the police detective seated at her desk…Squirm at returned cold stare and from unaccustomed placing of pampered rear on said hard metal seat.

"Is it? Sestra?" Quick switch from standard Canadian Beth to Ukrainian lilt on "sestra".

"You can't be a legitimate police officer…You aren't even a legitimate Canadian. I demand to see a lawyer."

"You don't have…a…raft of them standing by? Oooh, right…Pretty dirty Rachel is no longer swimming with Dyad and Topside sharks." Smile.

"As I said, you're no officer…Insulting a falsely arrested…" anxious look about… "Where is he?"

"I tole you…Art is processing him."

Glare… "That's totally unfair. Victor's not even been charged…What kind of police state are you running here?"

"One that works by da book, not by your money's command, lady." Helena, blonde hair carefully bunned and pinned back to a professional style, in suit eyeing her long out of contact twin of sorts, Rachel Duncan. Rachel, in still-elegant suit that suggested some degree of long-term wear, signs of being somewhat less professionally laundered than in the past. "It's policy to separately interview suspects. And he is a suspect, Arthur is charging him now on several of the same counts as you. Not to mention other matters he could yet be charged with…"

"Suspect to what?" Rachel frowned. "What 'other matters'? This is nothing but petty vengeance on your and Sarah's part. Where is she, by the way?" she looked round the precinct office. "I know she's here, gloating…"

"Sarah is not your problem and doesn't know you're here. I and my husband are your problem, within legal bounds."

"You…You're a murderess!" Rachel sputtered. "Legal bounds?!"

"You would have found, if you bothered to check and had proper access, that all such changes against Helena Bell nee Manning have been sealed following her full pardon." Helena, arch look. "There were too many of your ole friends still about who feared exposure in the Cold River Institute and Topside, we made arrangements with government via them. I have been to academy…The academy…And I assure you, my badge is quite real."

"I see. About what I might have guessed." Rachel sneered. "Corrupt cowards, the lot of them…" pause. "Tell me, has Aldous Leekie ever?" slight earnest look.

"Aldous Leekie is dead, Sestra. I'm sorry." Sincere effort at sympathetic look.

Sestras say Leekie was the better of the devils and did care about us…One can pay him that much compliment…He was best of bad Nazi lot.

"How could you know?" suspicious look. "Even Dyad and Topside couldn't confirm it. John had his people searching, just in case. Unless of course you…" grim stare….

"So you could hand second father to him? Like you killed our father, Dr. Duncan?" stern look.

"I didn't kill my Daddy!" Rachel rose, furious scream. "You and Sarah made him leave me!"

"Quiet. Sit." Helena had risen, several plain-clothes and uniformed officers coming over.

"It's fine. The lady here is calm now, she just got some bad news about her relative." Helena waved.

"Raj?" she smiled to the young male tech who'd hurried over with the others. "Could you bring Ms. Duncan some tea…Rachel? Sugar? Lemon? Thanks so much." Warm smile to Raj who couldn't resist nodding.

"Two sugars, lemon…And try to see the water's boiled." Preemptory tone.

Raj, experiencing deja-vu…A rather common experience for him these days with Helena's sisters dropping by so often, frequently including a rather apologetic Sarah, went off.

"Ethan Duncan was my father, not yours." Rachel, grimly, after reseating herself.

"All of ours…Physical sense, but I concede he consider…Considered you his daughter." Helena stumbling a bit.

"Still have a bit of trouble with English at times…Pardon me. But it does make me a great asset with the non-English speaking population where most of our action occurs." Smile.

"Charming…" Rachel shrugged. Raj returned with tea, setting it before Rachel who ignored him.

Deja-vu all over again, he thought, sighing…

Well, at least Ms. Bell is always nice and doesn't push it. And her kids, Art and Donnie, are cuties when they visit…

Sure wish I could get an accurate count of how many sisters Beth really had…Some say two, others four…Joe in the fingerprint lab claims they're a sextet, claims he saw them once outside the station the day Art married Helena…

Hard to believe though…They all seem so different to have the same parents…He shrugged and moved off, summoned by a befuddled new officer looking for tech help.

"Shall we move it along? You are not here for a social visit, sestra."

"I'd be happy to leave at once…With Victor."

Shake of blonde head…"You two are quite odd couple. When does…Did…This happen? And speaking of which, you are not going anywhere, Ms. Duncan. You are still under arrest."

Rachel, leaning in confidentially…"You'd be wise to let me go, now, Helena. I could easily upset this little garden of Eden you've built for yourself here."

Helena, grinned. "You are Serpent in garden, this I must remember for Sarah. But Helena-Eve is immune to charms this time, Serpent. But I think you must face the grinding heel of Canadian justice, Serpent."

"Oh, please…" wave of hand. "You have nothing…"

"Indeed?" Helena turned to her computer… "Rachel Duncan, implicated in fraudulent scheme to fix commodity prices, namely smoked meats. Rachel Duncan, promoted phony real estate development adjoining Bailey Downs community…Rachel Duncan, fraudulent action at Bank of Canada to remove frozen Dyad funds…"

"That was my account! My money!" Rachel fumed. "I earnt every penny!"

"Not according to Canadian banking regulations and special action of the Crown Attorney for Ontario…Though the bank manager you seduced to gain access provided the key info in exchange for immunity."

"That fat wuss. I was…Robbed. By Dyad and Topside. I only recovered some of what was mine. I had a right…!"

"Like Hitler's to Russia. According to Dyad records, your position was terminated and all company accounts in your name closed several years ago after they let you go. And indeed your position was rather the ambiguous." Stare.

"I was CEO! For Christsakes!" holler.

"Perhaps but given the lack of documentation…And Dyad's dissolution…And as for Topside, it was not even a registered corporation and you had no official position through them. Not to mention Cold River Institute, which given their sordids…Sordid…Past, I would not put on resume. Downside to working for flush but sinister organizations which keep low profile, sestra."

Dark look…

"Fraudulently acquiring funds from said frozen accounts, however cleverly…Cleverly…"Helena imposed more Canadian accent. "…is still fraud. And in addition to the charges I mentioned, there are others, including an attempt to sell illegal technology." She shook head.

"Selling how to make more of us? Sestra…I thought you never wanted to see more of us again."

"The illegality is debatable. It was my parents' and my adoptive father's tech…I have a right to use what they passed to me as I see fit. And I had no intention of ever seeing another me. Our genetic original is destroyed, remember?" Rachel, coldly.

"Dyad technology and British Army military tech, both illegal. Even Britain has ruled so and admitted the Leda-Caspar program as an unethical and illegal attempt at human scientific experimentation, however much they keep details under the wraps."

"Fools." Rachel shrugged. "That technology could have restored the British Empire."

"Perhaps. But it won't be restoring your fortunes, Ms. Duncan." Helena noted sternly.

"I want a lawyer. Now! And I want Victor out here, with me!"

"Or else…?" Helena, lightly.

"Listen you two-bit dyed blonde Jacqueline the Ripper! You want the world to know you're a freak of Science and a mass murdering serial killer to boot? Not too good a thing for your children to learn, I'd say." Rachel, arch look.

"I doubt you would be allowed to discuss these in public." Helena eyed her. "State secrets and all that… But even if you were, my boys would only be delighted to hear Mama is so special. Boys love that sort of thing."

"You want your boys to know you killed their grandmother? Their aunts?"

"That was another Helena…One day, yes, I must confess all when they can understand. It will be hard but Arthur and my sestras will help. And my Mama angel forgave me long ago, I saw her in my captivity and at my boys' birth. She knows I didn't understand then what she'd tried to do to save me." Wry smile. "Did you think I would exchange threats with you?" sigh. "It's time we faced our pasts and admitted our guilts, sestra."

"I don't see you suffering much punishment…" glare. "I know other things, Helena. About Sarah's past, for one…"

"We would love to hear them. Sarah is so reticent about her wilder days."

"She could go to jail for some of it…"

"Not likely. She served brief time for most things she did wrong and our 'contacts' would not like to see matters stirred up."

"Corruption rears its ugly head." Sniff. "You and Sarah get off scot free, while I and Victor…"

"We all make our little compromises, sestra. We don't kill you every time you pop head up, for example." Cool stare. "Nor do we let Topside survivors, much as they would like to."

"Are you threatening me, officer?" cold stare.

"No such intent, lady. Just pointing out that we all have made our compromises to survive. And some have been to your benefit, believe or not. But on major things, we are solid as marble." Careful look… "But I am intrigues…Intrigued…That you seems so willing to partner Victor to yourself…"

"He's been loyal to me these last few years. I've grown to appreciate loyalty." Shrug.

"That's very nice...And wise, given your poor dating choices in past. Victor is definite step up." Nod. "Well, Arthur will bring him out soon, I am sure. And despite his menacingly mean streets persona, my Art is kind and decent and always plays by rules. Victor is getting fair treatment. But, Ms Duncan, let us get down to…" phone buzz.

"Sorry…" to a frowning Rachel… "Detective Helena Bell here…"

"No, you're not…You're Mama!" happy voice on speaker.

"Arthur!" Helena clicked speaker off. Chuckles from various plain-clothed and uniformed staff about the room. Rachel rolling eye… "You know better than to call Mama at work and whose phone is this? Where is Aunt Sarah?"

"Hey…Sorry…" Cosima's voice on phone, barely audible to an annoyed Rachel…Lovely, nothing like family time. "He grabbed my phone when I came in and set it down. Sarah had to go to the store to get a couple of things and I said I'll watch the boys. Badly, obviously."

"Is ok…But put Art in his 'bad' corner so he knows not to do this again." Helena noted. "How are you, sestra? When did you get in? And how's my Donnie?"

Het-hemm… "Officer." Rachel, mockingly.

"Could we get on with this farce?"

"Is that?" Cosima's voice, startled tone.

"We nailed her last night, I just brought her in, with dickman."

"Hey!" Rachel, angrily.

"Is nickname, sods off…" Helena waved hand at her. "Cosima, I must go and attend to spoiled clientele here, very hoty-toty type."

"She's still got it, that way, eh?"

"Without the means but definite the attitude. Definitely, sorry."

"I like the definite. Don't go total Canadian, Helena." Cosima, a chuckle.

"Well, I keep flavor but am proud to be good Canuck." She beamed. "See you at home later, Cosima."

"I can feel the Love…" Rachel made disgusted face as Helena turned back to her, with a brief "sorry"…

"Ah, if only you could, sestra." Sigh.

"Sarah's your babysitter? About how I pictured her career going. You sure you want to trust that tramp with your children?"

"She's in school and, with my life." Helena coolly. Turning as Art Bell emerged from a conference room, leading a hapless-looking Vic along. Eager beam spreading across her face…

"Victor?!" Are you all right?!" Rachel called.

Art eyeing Helena as he and Vic walked up to them.

"I'm fine, Rach…" Victor nodded. "Oh, boy…So which one is it this time? Allison?"

"My wife, Helena." Art nodded.

"God, is that her?" Vic blanched.

"In the flesh, Vic. How are you?" smile. "Don't worry, I was that Helena but am no more."

"Don't trust her, Victor." Rachel hurriedly.

"Trust isn't necessary here…" Helena noted. "Just your honest answers…"

"Well, you do have to get us to believe you." Art insisted.

"We want our lawyer(s)…" Rachel demanded. "Did he hurt you?" she eyed Vic.

"Nah…" Vic shrugged. "I'm fine…"

"Art would never harm a suspect…" Helena sternly. "Art, has he talked?"

"A lot. Nothing too valuable." Shrugging smile.

"Just say nothing, Victor, till we have our lawyer present." Rachel insisted. "You people have no right to hound us like this."

"Given I've charged your boyfriend with three counts of fraud and possession of illegal technology, I'd say we've every right." Art noted.

"That's totally unfair…Victor wasn't…" Rachel hesitated.

"Rach…It's all right. This is my karma." Vic bowed head.

"He's not involved here. Let him go." She startled the two detectives.

"I did…The bank thing…Though it was my money…The rest I deny, of course."

Art giving Helena significant look…See?

"What?" Rachel glanced at them.

"You were right, honey." Helena nodded.

"My Arthur bear is such a great detective…" she beamed to a blinking Rachel. "He knew you would talk if we separated…"

"I didn't tell him anything about you, Rach!" Victor tried.

"He didn't have to…" Art agreed.

"Look, Detective…" Vic appealed to Helena. "This is your sis here. Don't throw her under the bus, she's had a hard time. And we haven't done anything that serious. C'mon, give her a break…"

"She'll get all the breaks due her under the Law." Helena, firmly. "That she's alive is the biggest break of all."

"You can sit there…" Rachel fumed. "And talk about 'justice' and 'the Law'? You?!"

"Me. I've faced my demons, Rachel." Helena, calmly.

"My wife hasn't anything to answer to you for, Ms. Duncan." Art, sternly. "You got the same ticket she did. You just didn't made good use of it."

"Hey, a little compassion here, bro…" Vic frowned. "The lady's had her share of punishment…"

"Losing one eye and a luxury condo, seven figure salary, and expense account doesn't sound to me like an 'equal share', Vic." Art noted.

"She lost her parents, her guy…" Vic shook head.

"She tried to kill one and drove the other to suicide…As for Ferdinand and Daniel, she's lucky to be rid of them or she'd likely be facing charges on their accounts."

"Double standard, Arthur…" Rachel sneered. "I'd think a black man, even in Canada, would find such a bit much."

"If you want us to reopen Helsinki, the murder of Marion Bowles, the abuses at Cold River Institute's island…The murder of multiple innocents including a cop…" Art noted.

"Won't your 'friends' object?" Rachel, sneering. "Those cowards would never let those cans of worms reopen."

"Many of them are either powerless now or in jail…Though a few would try. Probably to silence you as well as us." Art, calmly.

"Seems they're doing that right now, with these false charges…" Rachel, angrily.

"Nothing false about these, Ms. Duncan." Art smiled. "We've checked them out thoroughly. You've been a bad girl. Again. And since they don't involve Topside or Dyad…"

"Fine!" she waved hands. "Just what do you two want? For me to disappear again?! I live in Toronto, it's my home too, dammit."

"We want you to sit down and face your charges, Rachel." Helena eyed her.

"Lawyer!" Rachel snapped.

"Fine. You know how it goes…" Art sat down in side chair at his desk. "You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you both…Well?"

"We're temporarily embarrassed as to funds…" Vic noted.

"Public defender it is…" Art turned to phone.

"If we must slum legally, Victor has a friend…He'll take the case." Rachel, glance at Vic.

"I got Saul's number right here, he's a public defender."

"Fine…But it's up to the court to appoint…" Art noted, handing phone over to Vic.

"He's cool, it's good." Vic waved hand. "Hey Saulie…Vic. You know, Vic, from Toronto."

Rachel, looking a bit downcast now…

Once I could have had the best and most ruthless minds in the legal establishment…Now I have "Saul".

"It's like this, Saulie…Me and my girlfriend…" Vic continued on phone. "Well, nothing too serious…"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that…" Helena, archly.

"Your Gestapo tactics won't intimidate us." Rachel, firmly.

"Now, we haven't gotten to the rubber hose yet…" Art smiled. "Just kidding…" at Rachel's look.

"That's Dyad Security you're thinking of…" Helena said, firmly. "We do the right things, by the book, here."

A little less with humor, husband…Reproving frown to Art who grinned.

Let us be professionals here…

"Saulie, you owe me…" Vic, on phone. "It's paid work. And you'll like Toronto…"

"I would like to know how you two hooked up…" Helena noted to Rachel as she anxiously watched Vic on phone.

God, tell me we at least rate "Saulie", she sighed.

"What?" she eyed Helena. "I might ask you the same…"

"Oh, is lovely story…" Helena beamed. "It begins…Began when Arthur faced horde of religious fanatics, Proleithians, you know them…?"

"Oh, yes…Your trogoldytes."

"These were science-minded ones…Anyway, I was running, alone in field, with them chasing…And there is Arthur, no weapon, no back up…Facing them down….Like Christ…"

"Honey…" Art, waving hand. "I appreciate it but…"

"Like Christ in spirit courage…" Helena, firmly insistent. "From that moment, as I ran past in wedding dress…"

Rachel blinking…What?

"Long story…" Art noted.

"…I knew he was special. And I believe I was falling in love even then. Though it took time and my redemption…We had such romantic encounters, afterwards, I cherish all. But after Mama came to me in my captivity and forgave me, I was free to love…After minor sidetrack with initial cute guy. Very nice fellow, though not the one…" fond beam at Art. "Then…"

"I believe I said I might ask…?" Rachel sighed.

"He helped me birth our children…And I knew…I was sestra sent to comfort him, for Beth. Like in the 'Little Women', you know? When Amy steps in for Jo?"

"I know the story. I don't remember Jo stepping in front of a commuter train." Drily.

"Saulie…How many times have I come through for you? Ok, but forgetting that one…And that one…" Vic told the phone.

"I wasn't looking for a replacement, sweetheart. We've been over that." Art called over.

"No, no…But I feel Beth would be glad another of us could love you, darling…" Helena beamed. "And help to do some things she would have done."

"So you see yourself as Beth reborn now. I hope Arthur enjoys the necrophilia. Demonic possession, no doubt…I recommend an exorcism." Rachel, grim little smile.

"No, but Beth's soul guides me, as Mama's does." Helena, serenely, glancing at clock.

"Somewhere to be…?" Rachel, sneering… "Pilgrimage to Huxley Station to commune?"

"Actually, yes…We have lunch date. Darling?" Helena called over. "Should we push Fung's back to one o'clock?"

"Probably…Unless these two prefer to sit in cells all afternoon." Art replied.

"Hey, that's vergin' on police brutality…" Vic turned from phone. "Look, Saulie…It would only be half the work if you pick up my second cousin, Vinny, on the way. He owes me one."

"You have a 'cousin Vinny'?" Art stared.

"Today is anniversary of our first real date…" Helena explained to an eye-rolling Rachel. "We always do Fung's."

"Fung's? What the hell is Fung's?" Rachel blinked.

"Very good Chinese…Mr. Fung is so sweet…" Helena beamed. "But how did you and Victor the Dickperson 'hook', Rachel. I know you did not have many low-lifes and sinister type friends left but even you must admit is odd coupling."

"Why would I bother discussing my personal life with you?" Rachel frowned. "Not that Victor and I have anything but a professional…"

Vic, long sigh, looking over from phone…Really?

You cut me, Rach…You cut me deep.

"I imagine Sarah must howl at the notion…" she went on…

Hang me right now…Vic, sighing deeply. But it's my karma to be so abused by the ones I love.

She looked over at his sad face…

Oh…Come on…You know I can't discuss personal matters with these…People.

"We have not discussed the case with her. It's a professional matter." Helena noted.

"There's one small mercy…" Rachel, frowning.

"I'm calling him right now… Ok, Saulie…Thanks." Vic hung up. "One more call, just to my other lawyer…" he eyed Art.

"Cousin Vinny?"

"Yeah, so? He's a lawyer, you can look him up. We're each entitled to one…"

"Ok, fine. But it's the court's decision…" Art shrugged.

"He was Sarah's monitor, was he not? Alison and I have bet…" Helena smiled.

"I thought it clear the tramp was 'wild', thanks to her foster mother."

"But afterwards your people did know of her…We know you had contacts with Victor before…"

"Fine…Yes, Aldous learnt of her criminal behavior…"grim look, but slightly forlorn… "After all, he always felt something for her…His lost girl. He managed to contact Victor…"

"I never told him anything personal, tell Sarah…" Vic cut in. "Yeah, Vinny? Vic…Your cousin Vic…Vinny, come on…" he told the phone.

"We got disconnected, let me try again." He told Art who shrugged.

Rachel, now her own hurt look Vicward…

Sarah? Always, Sarah?

"So you got hold of him afterwards…After you left us the Ledas list."

"I needed someone with his contacts who wouldn't be too prominent to attract attention, so I contacted him." Rachel noted, coolly.

"I was out of those things…Tell Alison that much was true." Vic cut in again. "Vinny? Pick up the phone, c'mon."

"I did have to persuade him a bit…" Rachel noted.

Cut to shot of Rachel stomping on Vic's injured hand as he writhed on floor of his apartment…

(Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)

Pet Shop Boys)

"It's very simple, Victor…" Rachel, standing before him in his apartment five years earlier after said stomping, as he soaked injured hand in bowl of water. "I need someone to assist me and sadly, you're it, right now. It makes sense, really…

I've got the brains you've got the looks

Let's make lots of money

You've got the brawn I've got the brains

Let's make lots of money

I've had enough of scheming and messing around with jerks

my car is parked outside I'm afraid it's just Uber

I'm looking for a partner someone who gets things fixed

Ask yourself this question do you want to be rich?" Rachel, shrewd look.

"Victor,

I've got the brains you've got the street-scruffy looks

Let's make lots of money

You've got some limited degree of brawn I've got the brains

Let's make lots of money

You can tell I'm educated, I studied at the Sorbonne

Doctored in mathematics I could have been a don…And you saw me, a CEO

I can programme a computer choose the perfect time…

If you've got the inclination I have got the crime."

"Lady…I'm out of…"

"I've got the brains you've got the looks

Let's make lots of money

You've got some brawn I've got the brains

Let's make lots of money."

"Look, uh, Rachel…" Glare…

"Ms. Duncan…Even if I…"

Rachel-

"Oh, there's a lot of opportunities, if you know when to take them you know

There's a lot of opportunities if there aren't

you can make them make or break them."

She sits by reluctant Vic…Taking hand from bowl and licking injured fingers one by one…

Smile…

"You can see I'm single-minded I know what I could be

How'd you feel about it, come take a walk with me

I'm looking for a partner, regardless of expense

Think about it seriously you know it makes sense."

I gotta bad feeling about this…Vic, sighing…

"I've got the brains you've got the looks

Let's make lots of money

You've got some degree of brawn I've got the brains

Let's make lots of money."

"Yeah, fine…How?" he sighed. "I'm no science or supercriminal type. Lady,

I'm trying to find my Path."

Rachel, seductively…

"Oh, there's a lot of opportunities if you know when to take them you know

There's a lot of opportunities if there aren't you can make them make or break them."

Hah! I can feel it…I've taken one away from you, Sarah…In your face, tramp…

Of course, he is rather cute in a scruffy puppy kind of way…

"I've got the brains you've got the looks

Let's make lots of money

You've got the brawn I've got the brains

Let's make lots of…" grabs Vic and pulls him down on couch… "money…"

"Helena?" Sarah's voice as she came over…In semi-Beth, somewhat Sarah respectable auntie outfit.

"I couldn't find the prescription for Donnie's…" she blinked at a grim Rachel…

You…

You…Sneer.

"Hey, Sarah…" Vic beaming from seat at Art's desk, phone to ear. "Great to see you."

Sarah staring from him to Rachel…Rachel, grim smile…

Oh, yeah…My guy now.

Vic? Sarah, somewhat annoyed look.


End file.
